


These Boys... [Haikyuu!! x Reader Series]

by applekozume



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fukurodani - Freeform, Haikyuu x Reader, Karasuno, Lime, Multi, Nekoma, Romance, Smut, Teen Romance, aoba johsai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-09
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-09-07 11:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8799301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/applekozume/pseuds/applekozume
Summary: ...Are a nightmare. But they're worth it in the end. -Relationship tags will be added with each chapter-





	1. Application [Kuroo Tetsurou]

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my friend Noxuem for reading through these chapters before I post them~
> 
> Like I said in the summary, I will add more tags the longer the series gets!

“Are you sure this was meant for me?”

You lowered the paper from eye level, your brows knitted in confusion, looking up to the teacher who stood before you. You had not expected to be pulled from class during your cherished lunch break and lovingly crafted bento box to be handed a single sheet of paper – an application form, no less, where every box meant for your own information was already filled out for you. And by the quality of the typeface, complete with ink smears and scribblings out, it was certainly not written by a teacher.

From the brief summing up of the form in the time you had been given to recover from your shock, you had come to the conclusion that it was a volleyball managerial application. Somehow you knew this was for you even before you asked that question. Well, your name being written at the top gave a lot of that away.

“I'm sorry about this, [Y/N], this is incredibly rude and unprofessional of me,” they started, crossing their arms with a solemn face. “I was asked by a student of mine to give that to you. A Kuroo Tetsurou. He said you knew him well? He was 'too busy' to give this to you in person, and so I offered to do so.”

Of course. Kuroo.

Your face fell, a sigh leaving your lips. It wasn't a sigh of anger or annoyance, but more of sympathy and desperation. Kuroo was a good friend of yours. He was also the guy who had been trying for weeks to get you to cave in to his constant pleads to become the manager of the Nekoma volleyball club. It was not like you had kept saying no out of spite, really it wasn't, you really liked Kuroo's company. It was just...

Having to watch him work up a sweat, muscles tensing, shirt rising and falling with his rapid movements and many other horrendously overwhelming images of your friend would send you into a fit of heavy blushing, nail biting and a crazily beating heart. Being the manager for the person you were so heavily head over heels for seemed like too taxing of a job for you. To say you had a crush on Kuroo would be an understatement.

But also, the commitment. Your grades weren't the best. Not awful, but nothing to write home about. Your parents had made it pretty clear that they expected your marks to go up by at least one grade by next year – and you didn't like getting them mad. Being the manager of a rowdy bunch of volleyball players certainly seemed like a lot of work, which would take away from your studies. From what you had seen of the team during your visits to see Kuroo during practise and small conversations with Coach Nekomata, it required a lot of time and energy. 'Like herding testosterone driven sheep', as he had so delicately put it one time.

You let out another sigh as you tore your eyes from the form for the third time, giving a respectful bow to your elder with an earnest thanks as they gave a nod, finally leaving you in peace. Eyes back on the paper, you found your legs again – which for a short while, had turned to jelly during your extremely brief and inappropriate imagination – as you sat back at your desk. It was pretty obvious how much Kuroo wanted this. He was never one to make a decision on your part, especially with something that would change the future of your academic life, so for him to fill in the form himself was either an act of desperation or extreme idiocy.

To be honest, you wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter. This was Kuroo, after all.

“Damn it...”

You slid down in your chair, shrugging off your classmate's concern with a small wave of dismissal, eyes on the ceiling. You had gone off your bento at this point, you certainly weren't hungry. Why was this bugging you so much? Why was this so hard to figure out? This wasn't the million yen question on a game show, for goodness sake. You had said no every other time he had asked, so why was it so much more difficult to stomach it this time?

Perhaps because since last time, your feelings for him had doubled? To see his disappointed face...his normally sharp eyes fall into a doe-like state, natural smirk vanishing and being replaced with a heart-wrenching lip wobble. You certainly couldn't handle that. He was your best friend...

...Wasn't he?

Something deep within your gut seemed to be trying to tell you different. You knew things felt odd. Perhaps you were just being paranoid. It wouldn't be the first time you jumped conclusions.

What were you supposed to do now?

 

* * *

Your heart betrayed you.

Stepping foot into the gym did the familiar acrid smell of light sweat and must hit your nose. As odd as it sounded, the smell wasn't that unbearable. It sort of sealed the deal for you how hard these guys worked, how much they trained and exercised and schemed positions. Of course, hardly any of that would be possible if it weren't for Kuroo.

Offering a polite nod and a smile to Nekomata, you wandered over to his side, placing your bag down by the collection of water bottles. You wanted to wait until their break, after all, preliminaries were coming up soon and you wanted to give them as much time as you could without breaking their flow. Perhaps that was why Kuroo was so desperate? Did he want their team to have a manager before prelims?

Speaking of Kuroo...

“[Y/N]!”

Your head whipped to see the raven jogging towards you, stopping before your smaller frame. He placed his hands on his hips, his signature grin plastered over his face as he pointed down at the paper in your hands. “So you got the message?”

“Yes I did, dumbass,” you scoffed, folding it up for the twentieth time as you placed it into your pocket. “Why did you fill out the form without even asking me? And how did you get some of that information?!”

Choosing to ignore the second question, Kuroo answered the first. “Because I knew you'd say no.”

“You're right I would say no,” you sighed, running your fingers back through your [H/C] locks, sounding more flustered than irritated. “You had no right to do that, Tetsu. It was selfish of you...”

Kuroo's golden eyes watched yours with an emotion that you couldn't quite pinpoint, head turning towards the court. “Guys! Give me five minutes, will you? [Y/N], come with me a minute.” He waved his hand, ushering you to follow him back out through the gym doors.

You blinked yet obliged your raven-haired friend, lashes yet again fluttering when he slammed the doors behind you. Palms to the metal, his head bowed, a sigh escaping his lips as he seemed to stare at the ground like it was the most interesting thing on Earth. You watched him, concerned. “Tetsu?”

“[Y/N],” he began, voice low before he stood up straight, turning to you and meeting [E/C] eyes. “I really need your help.”

Your heart seemed to skip a beat. Kuroo...needed you? You wiped your palms on your school jumper, clearing your throat, all anger draining from your system. Anything for Kuroo. “W-What do you need my help for, Kuroo? Are Nekoma not doing well?”

“I'm not doing well.”

The speed of his answer seemed to catch you off guard as you tilted your head, brows knitting in slight confusion. “What do you mean...?”

A loud sigh billowed from Kuroo's lips, rubbing his forehead as his other hand rested on his hip once more. That seemed to be a token stance for him. “I need to see you more than I am, [Y/N]. We used to walk to school every day, me, you and Kenma. We had lunch together, we would study together – don't give me that look, I know I hate studying – and now we...hardly ever do it. We don't text as much, we don't talk until three in the morning like we used to...I just...miss it. I miss us.”

_I miss us._

Every word he spoke, it was all true. You had noticed this issue long before he seemingly had done so himself. Hell, you hardly even spoke to Kenma anymore. But as conceited as it sounded, you didn't really blame yourself. “Kuroo...” you began, trailing off to stare at his shoes.

“[Y/N]?”

“What do you take me for?” You brought your head up, the hot sting of tears in your eyes. “Of course I've noticed that. But...that's not my fault! You are so focused on volleyball, you didn't even notice that you would take twice as long to reply to my texts until it turned into one a day. You never realized that you passed my home in the mornings until you were at the school gates, even when Kenma tried to remind you. I tried very hard to keep us close but...you didn't seem to want that.”

“Of course I want that, [Y/N].”

“Then why did you allow us to drift apart?”

Kuroo's eyes widened. Was it really his fault? To know that he had hurt the feeling of this girl who he cherished over all others, it made his heart ache. Badly. He moved forwards, clasping her hands in his own which caused her to look back up into the forlorn eyes that also seemed to be clouding over. “[Y/N] ...I'm so sorry. I know, I am such a jackass. But that's why I filled out the form.”

You blinked the tears away. “How would that help? Doing it behind my back? If you wanted to work this out between us, why did you think doing it by yourself would work?”

“I told you, because I'm a jackass. But I thought that getting you to be our manager could help us get closer again. We could spend more time together, I could keep doing what I love. Being around you and volleyball.”

You let a chuckle leave your lips. You knew you'd never replace volleyball, that much was a given, but it felt nice being the first priority in the list. “So, you want me to risk my grades so I can manage your herd of a team?”

“Well...yeah.” There was that goofy grin again. God, you wanted to wipe it off his face sometimes. “You don't have to do it if you don't want. I know I've been a pain in the ass, asking you all the time. I really want you to be our manager, [Y/N]. I don't get to see your pretty face enough. But if you don't want to, I will back off.”

“H-huh?” Had you heard him correctly? Your eyes widened, watching the captain. “Pretty...?”

Kuroo seemed to have noticed his slip up and he pulled his hands back, itching his nape nervously as a light pink dusted his cheeks. “U-uh...I mean, all girls are pretty, right? Chivalry and all that stuff.”

You offered a smile, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his cheek as you took the paper from your pocket once more, pressing it into his palm. “Here, re-write this neatly and give it to Coach Nekomata. I will be your manager. But you've really gone about this the wrong way.” The Kuroo way.

“You... – really?” Kuroo's eyes lit up, though his lips remained parted in shock of the kiss.

“Yes. But, I expect to see you every morning outside my house to walk me to school. Plus, if my grades ever drop due to my loyalty to your team, you will be the one to take my parent's punishment. Understand, Tetsu?”

“O-of course, [Y/N].”

 


	2. Milk Bread [Oikawa Tooru]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my friend Noxuem for reading through these chapters before I post them~
> 
> I'm sorry this one is shorter than Kuroo's! Oikawa is probably my least favourite character, but I tried!

 

Bakeries always looked like they offered the most delicious produce in the world. Everything that left their doors always looked so fresh and tantalizing, leaving a warmth in your palms that couldn't be replaced with anything better, especially the biting cold of winter.

School had been difficult for you. Aobajōsai High's exams were tougher now more than they had ever been. You even saw some students crying once the exams were over. Not a day went by without an exam or two – maybe even three at times, your poor friend had even had four in one day – and it was certainly dawning on you exactly how exhausted and stressed you were. So much was riding on you getting good grades at the end of the year. Everything was, really.

But living by the words of the wise, take every day as it comes. Today, you had decided that you deserved a treat. That maths exam had been an absolute killer, it had sapped all of your energy and you needed to get it back. And what better way than to visit your favourite bakery?

Stepping into the front door with the gentle jingle of the bell, the rush of warm air and fresh bread hit your senses, draining all of the worry over your exam and replacing it with the decision of which delicacy to try next. You made it your mission to try every item they had, and today you had decided on bread as your . Milk bread, to be precise. 

“Good afternoon!” you chimed to the employee serving, craning your head up to peer into the baskets that sat in a neat line across the shelf. There were so many varieties to choose from and they all looked so...amazing. All so lovingly crafted right there in the store. Perhaps you were a traditionalist in the way you preferred foods produced in places like bakeries and butchers over corporate chain produce. It just felt more loved.

You were too engrossed in the sights and scents before you to hear the figure approaching your side as you paused by the milk bread basket. A pout formed over your lips. Only one left. Looking at the time, you doubted they were cooking another batch, since it was only an hour until closing. But this was all yours! Clearly, this bread was baked for you. You pulled a plastic glove from the roll offered by the store, sliding it on as you reached for the sweet...only to bump into another hand.

“I'm sorry, miss!”

You turned your head to the male voice beside you, head lifting as your gaze met soft hazel eyes, their hand wrenching back as they offered an apologetic smile. “Oh, no, I'm sorry! I didn't see you going for the bread,” you quickly stammered out, only to tilt your head when their clothing caught your eye. A uniform, white, pastel blue with a red tie. “You're from Aobajōsai too? Wait...” Your eyes narrowed before widening. “Y-you're Oikawa!”

The brunet teen's watched you before the smile widened, nodding. “Heh heh, that's me."  
  
Your eyes remained boggled, bringing your hands together to play with your fingers, ignoring the crinkle of the glove still on your righty. How did it take so long for you to recognize this boy? That was a pretty shameful display considering you had such an immense crush on the guy. Though you had never expected to have him so close to you, let alone talk to you. You had always admired him from the other side of the corridor or from high up in the volleyball stands...never this close.

And your heart knew this was a first for you. It was going a mile a minute.

“May I ask your name?”  
  
His voice brought you from your daydream as you shook your head. “M-my name is [Y/N]. [F/N] [L/N].”  
  
“Did you want this bread?” he questioned, holding it out to you with a quirked brow.  
  
You brought your hands up and ushered him back. “No, please, you keep it!”

“Hmm...well, [Y/N]-chan, would you like to share this milk bread with me?” He lifted the bread from the basket, sliding it into a bag with a soft smile. “It would be awfully rude of me to take this from you after such a hard day of exams.”  
  
“Well, if you're sure. Oh – how did you know I had exams...?”  
  
“You're in Takahiro-chan's study classes, aren't you? He's a third year like you and me! I mean, he told me he studied with a cute girl, but I didn't know you were _this_ cute.”  
  
Your face felt like it was on fire. Oikawa Tooru, the volleyball deity and heartthrob had called you cute?! You felt like such a thing would never happen, but somehow it had. Were you dreaming? No. That pinch hurt. “D-don't say such things!”

He gave a playful wink, tongue sticking out. “Gomen~”  
  
You gave a gentle huff, though a soft smile formed. “Are you sure about sharing this bread? I don't mind going halves on the money with you.”  
  
“No no, put your purse away! I will buy this for you. I am a gentleman, after all.” He handed the money to the cashier before he turned with you, pushing the door open with his back and holding it open whilst he dove into the bag. He paused at the tables outside, you yourself sitting at the opposite end of it as he took his own seat. “I'll rip it, so we get equal halves.”  
  
You placed your bag between your feet as he placed the other half of the bread in front of you, your smile returning as you bowed your head. “This is really kind of you, Oikawa. Sharing your food with a girl you only just met.”  
  
“How did you find the exam?” the brunet mumbled through a mouthful of bread.  
  
“It was difficult. That's why I came here after school, to reward myself,” you sighed, tucking into your own half of the loaf. “Maths really isn't my best subject.”  
  
“I don't mind math, but exams give me less time to play volleyball!” he whined, falling back in his chair. You couldn't help but let out a giggle at his child-like display, your hand covering your mouth. Oikawa's head snapped up at the sound of your amusement, a grin itching its way onto his lips. “You have a really nice laugh.”  
  
“H-hey, don't be silly, I don't!”  
  
“You really do, [Y/N]-chan.”

You bowed your head as your cheeks dusted a gentle pink, watching the concrete below your feet. This day felt so surreal, to be complimented by your crush – hell, to even be sat at the same table as him, it all felt so...unreal. Absolutely wonderful, but unreal. This god among students had taken an interest in you.  
  
Oikawa smiled, gently tapping your shin with his foot to gain your attention. “[Y/N]-chan, we should do this again.”  
  
“Really?”  
  
“Yeah, on a real date. I'll pay then, too~”  
  
  


 


	3. Comfort [Iwaizumi Hajime]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight lime at the end I suppose??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my friend Noxuem for reading through these chapters before I post them~
> 
> Please feel free to comment what character you'd like to see! Even if I've already done a char, you can request another oneshot with them :) And it can be smut if you want, I plan on doing some!

* * *

  
Your heart sank.

Everyone had such hope for Aobajōsai. A team that skyrocketed above expectations with every passing game, their talents as a group and as individuals seemed to hold no bounds as they only continued to impress everyone who set eyes on their matches. They had shown Karasuno the true harshness of volleyball in the Interhighs with an impressive – if not close - victory, but...not that day, it seemed.

It was the Spring High Tournament. Aobajōsai had lost to Karasuno.

You were in the stands as silence fell over the arena, the ball trailing off to a gentle stop from where it had landed in the out zone. You could hear your heartbeat beating in your chest, bile raising in your throat, before the crescent in front of you erupted with a deafening cheer. The black and orange team below threw themselves at one another, their supporters in the bleachers above chanting out their call. But where you stood in Aobajōsai's support benches, there was quiet.

Your eyes never left Iwaizumi. You watched as he harshly bit his lip, brows furrowing as he tried to keep the tears back. It was such a heartbreaking moment. Iwaizumi was strong. He never allowed emotion to waver how he played, how he co-operated and worked with his teammates, and he _never_ let it show when the rivals were winning. But it was different that day. This was a painful sight for you.

Oikawa sent a slap to his partners back, telling him it was okay, everything was alright, everything _will be_ alright. But it didn't stop the tears. He wiped harshly at his eyes, tears mixing with the lingering sweat on the material as he apprehensively trailed off of the court following the painful thanks to the other team. You wanted to hold him, let him weep into your shoulder, let him know that he was still your strong, wonderful boyfriend.

You managed to find your legs as you hoisted yourself off of the railings, dropping your vuvuzela to your seat before hurrying your way down into where the team would walk from the court. Your eyes watched every player, meeting Oikawa's eyes only briefly as he traipsed past you, yet it still made your body freeze. Pain. So much pain. You offered a solemn smile that seemed to register as he turned away from you.

Then came Iwaizumi, a good ten foot behind his peers. His eyes were on the floor, burning holes in the linoleum and looking too preoccupied to even notice you. However, you knew your boyfriend. You moved out in front of his path and he stopped, the tips of your shoes in his view though he didn't raise his head.

“Iwa...” Your voice was gentle, though the brunet continued to defy you, breath shallow. You brought your fingertips under his chin to lift his head, having no choice but to lock his eye contact with yours. Upon doing so, his eyes welled up again, as did yours. You could see the torment deep within those hazel irises. He was blaming himself.

You threaded your fingers into the hair on the back of his skull, seeing his face begin to contort once more before your tugged his head down onto your shoulder, keeping him there as you felt his impressive arms wind around your waist. You snaked your other arm around his form, sighing gently into his chest while his sobs shook your body, your heart aching at the sheer pain those racking cries held.

“Iwaizumi,” you began, his head shifting slightly. “You were absolutely fantastic. You have nothing to be ashamed about, sweetheart, everybody on that court will agree with me. You were brilliant. Did you hear us all chanting your name? It was support, Iwa. You were and are a wonderful player.”

His shaking didn't seem to calm down that much but his hold on you tightened, signalling his thankfulness for your words, to have someone as wonderful as you in his life. You smiled grievously, petting his hair to try and simmer your emotional puppy.  
  
“[Y/N]...” he started, taking his head from your shoulder to meet your eyes once more, his own red and puffy. Your smile grew bittersweet, hands lifting to cup his warm, quaking cheeks. Iwaizumi seemed to settle at this contact, cries turning into sniffles, watching you like nothing else in the world mattered. “I love you. I love you so much.”  
  
You pulled from his grasp as your took his hand, his fingers tightly lacing with yours as you brought him further from the court – further from his loss.

 

* * *

 

You had taken Iwaizumi to sit on a bench in a nondescript area of the stadium for some alone time. You figured he had needed a moment without his teammates to breathe.

“We lost, [Y/N], how can I be fantastic at this game?” the brunet muttered, clenching the fist that wasn't holding your hand. You gave a soft sigh, turning to him slightly as your knees bumped. “I let my team down.”  
  
“You didn't let anybody down, Iwa,” you countered, running your thumb over his rough palm. “You are a team, aren't you? You work together, you lose together. The score was so, so close. It's not like Karasuno absolutely creamed you.”  
  
Iwaizumi took your cheek in his hand as he let out his own exhausted sigh, a smile twitching onto his face, though it was brief. He wasn't the type to smile much normally, so to receive one during his emotional freak out was a valued rarity. “I don't deserve you, [Y/N].”  
  
“That's right, you don't,” you teased, leaning into his affectionate touch.  
  
Iwazumi leaned in so his lips brushed against yours, his hand breaking from your hold to rest it on your hip, keeping you close to him. He never wanted to let you go, ever. His hand slid around from your cheek to nestle his fingers into your hair, bringing you close ass the pressure of the kiss increased. Clearly his sadness wasn't holding his passion back.  
  
You let out a soft gasp as his lips worked against yours, your own soon returning the need as your head tilted to make the perfect connection. Your free hand happily rested on his thigh, kneading at it almost subconsciously as you felt his tongue flick cheekily at your lips, causing you to pull back. You shot him a glare as a smirk plastered his lips.  
  
“I see that losing the game hasn't stopped your boyish tendencies,” you spat, though it was in jest as you moved to sit yourself in his lap, shoulder to shoulder.  
  
Iwaizumi's hands rested on your hips to hold you steady as he chuckled. “How can they when I have such a cute girlfriend on my lap?”  
  
You tutted. “Typical Iwa. Come here~” You clasped his collar and tugged him against you in yet another kiss, legs swinging slightly as the boy's hands relocated to your lower back, keeping you close. The kiss was soft yet held passion, your teeth cheekily nipping at his lower lip which caused Iwaizumi to elicit a sharp hiss. “Hnn?”

“You're a tease,” he grunted. “I'm supposed to be wallowing in self-pity here.”  
  
“I know that this makes you happy, so I wanted to take your mind off your sadness.”  
  
“It's worked, [Y/N]. God, I love you.”

 

 


	4. Baby Steps [Kenma Kozume]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...Are a nightmare. But they're worth it in the end. -Relationship tags will be added with each chapter-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my friend Noxuem for reading through these chapters before I post them~ They also helped me with the idea for this chapter! <3
> 
> I'm so, so sorry that I'm updating so late! My laptop was broken since before Christmas so I couldn't update... But here, a chapter for my favourite character, Kenma <3

 

The warmth that emanated from Kenma's chest spread over your back, arms squaring your foetal body, fingers going at a mile a minute on the console in his hands. You had to admit it, while Kenma's ability with social situations and his power to interact with strangers were lacking, his skill with video games and technology on a whole wasn't something to scoff at. While that doesn't sound like the type of advantage to have as you develop into adulthood, it made him happy, and that was all you cared about. And of course, you made him happy, too. Very happy.

Having a good video game in his hands and a beautiful girlfriend nestled up against him was all Kenma would ever want or need, really. But his hold was still light, much stronger on the game than on your form.

You tilted your head to watch him briefly, meeting cat eyes that squinted with one of those rare smiles of his. A small smile from the setter went a long way for you – to others, it didn't seem like the most loving thing a boyfriend could do, but if one were to learn how Kenma worked, they'd see how much that little gesture meant to you and on a grander scale. It was a quick, fleeting gesture, but it meant a lot.

“Kenma?” Your voice cut through the quiet beeps from his device. “When will this level be over?”  
  
“I don't know. I haven't played this level before.” There was a pause, followed by the results screen before Kenma's voice was found again. “Oh. I guess it's over now.”  
  
You watched him turn the console off and drop it to the bed, resulting in his arms worming around your waist as your smile returned. “Actually, this was sort of what I was hoping for.” You awkwardly spun in his hold, facing him level due to your very small height difference, meeting a curious glance. “Cuddles.”  
  
Kenma blinked. “Aren't we already doing that?”  
  
“Well, yeah, but...something more 'couple-y'.”  
  
“Couple-y'...?”

Your expression fell, though you tried to mask the slight pang of hurt that made its way onto your face. Perhaps it was a tad selfish, trying to make Kenma do more than he was comfortable with...but really, it had been a good month into this relationship, so perhaps wishing for just a little bit more than brief pecks and the most awkward of embraces wasn't such a terrible thing.  
  
Kenma sat up cross-legged on his bed, hands resting in on his thighs. He watched you intently, irises flickering over your face as his mind seemed to process something. He soon let out a gentle sigh. “You're not happy, are you?”  
  
Guilt rushed forth. Yes, perhaps it was a little terrible to expect it from him this early on. Hell, you were surprised he had even asked you out on a date a few weeks back, considering exactly how inept you knew he was socially. It was charming and sweet, exactly how much effort he'd put into doing it. As Kuroo had so crudely told you before, 'It took a lot of balls for Kenma to do that.'

You hurriedly grabbed his hands and held them firmly. “No, Kenma, that's not it at all. I'm so, so happy with you. It's just...I'd really like for us to be a little closer _that_ way.”  
  
Kenma was silent before his eyes widened, face turning beet red. “ _That_ way...? Like...se --”  
  
“No, no!” Your own skin seemed to burn. “Not that way! I mean, just with things like cuddling and being close. Do you find that stuff hard?”  
  
It seemed to take Kenma a few moments to think about his answer, mouth twisting in thought. “Well...a little, yeah. I want to do it with you, but...I find it kind of hard. I'm close to you and then I just can't really do much else. It's like I seize.”  
  
“Why do you think that is?”  
  
“I'm just so nervous that I'll mess up. I've never really had any friends except Kuroo and I'm even more worried that I'll make a wrong move.”  
  
“I'm still here, aren't I? Asking for more from you.” A smile formed on your lips. “Why would I think you're going to mess up if I asked for more?”  
  
“...I guess...”  
  
Your smile softened as you squeezed the hands in your grasp, causing him to meet your [E/C] eyes. You shimmied closer on his bedding, lifting a hand to cup his cheek, smile only widening when you saw him stiffen. “Kenma, why don't we try taking it slow right now?”  
  
“What do you mean, [F/N]?”  
  
“Here.” You motioned for him to follow you as you led on your side, patting the pillow space next to your head. He seemed to watch you for a moment, soon taking the place beside you on the bed. Your hand moved to rest on his forearm, sliding up to settle in the crook of his neck and shoulder, though his form didn't seem to loosen. In fact, the look on his face seemed incredibly...painful. “Are you okay?” You pulled your hand back.  
  
“Sorry,” Kenma muttered, not meeting your eyes. “That made me shiver and feel – weird.”  
  
“Weird?” you echoed.  
  
“Not really in a bad way – I mean, I don't think so. It's not like I want to push you away.” Well, that was a start. “But it's still odd.”  
  
“I don't want to push you, Kenma, I always made it very clear I will go at your pace. But I promise, once you get over this hurdle, you'll see how nice intimate cuddles can be.”  
  
“...” Kenma watched your face, soon settling. He couldn't keep going like this when he knew how much you wanted his affection. It was amazing to him that someone as beautiful and sweet as you could ever want to be with someone as two-dimensional and boring as he was. His words, not yours, of course. “I trust you, [F/N].”  
  
You smiled. Eager arms tried to take their time as they wormed around Kenma, hands resting on his hips as he rose his middle slightly to give your hands room. He led back down tentatively as to not squash your hand.  
  
“How's that?”  
  
“It's okay, [F/N], it doesn't bother me.”  
  
You nodded, applying pressure to your hands to slide them around to his lower back as your arms soon followed, taking the place where his hands had once be. In this position, your face was now much closer to his, admittedly making the both of you quite flustered. You didn't expect yourself to feel so giddy but getting lost in his caramel eyes was difficult to fight sometimes. They burnt with a fire that would bring ships to the rocks, and that you were sure he had no idea he possessed.

You continued to watch Kenma's face for any signs of discomfort, though it seemed he was doing okay as he relaxed, a quiet noise falling in his throat as his face softened. That was good. You pressed yourself closer, head bowing under his chin as you tried to hide your own nervousness that had peeked it's head. That was something you hadn't expected. Seems you were just as aflutter, hmm?

“I can feel your heartbeat,” you mumbled under your breath, refusing to lift your head and allow Kenma to see how ruffled you were by this closeness. “It's getting faster.”  
  
Kenma tilted his head down to hide his face in your hair, only realizing after a few moments of trying to escape from his own nervousness exactly how intimate he was being. Funnily enough, he didn't pull back, he simply remained that way, hands resting a little awkwardly on your hips though his face seemed pleasantly occupied by your hair. The warmth of it, the relaxing [H/C] mixed with the subtle scent of peaches and cream shampoo made his nose tingle and his heart only beat twice as fast.

“How are you feeling?” you whispered, voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

“F-fine,” he gulped, voice muffled by your hair. “Let's stay like this for now.”  
  
You tilted your head up, chin poking his chest as a soft smile graced your lips. “This is fine, Kenma. You're doing great --” You paused, feeling his arms rest comfortably around your waist. “-- really great. This is nice...”  
  
“Really nice. I don't feel odd or uncomfortable, I...feel like I belong here. With you in my arms, [F/N].”  
  
You felt his smile twist into your hair and you couldn't help but copy him, fingers curling into his jacket. It was inevitable that Kenma would need time to evolve his sentiment, but it seemed it was working.

Baby steps were what was needed, and you'd wait forever for him.

 


	5. Tiptoes [Nishinoya Yuu]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a Nishinoya x tall!reader for all those tall girls who don't get enough love
> 
> I also think I gave myself too much work with how much effort I was putting into my vocabulary in previous chapters. It's too draining for me. So I'm going to lighten them a little while trying to be as good as I can! Because I want to keep working on these and get them out quicker.
> 
> Also I'm really sorry about how bad this chapter is, I really lost muse near the end and I just can't seem to write a proper story I haven't been in school for years and I got out of writing a long time ago...basically this chapter is arsewash I'm really sorry

  
“You have a girlfriend?!”

Nishinoya's eyes wandered over the stunned faces of his teammates, bringing his hands to his hips as his expression soured. “Yeah, is it that hard to imagine?!”

“N-no, but,” Tanaka began, his hands raising to signal non-malicious intent, “You never told us you had a girlfriend. We certainly didn't expect her to be so...”

Noya's eyes narrowed, lip jutting up in a sharp pout. “So what?”

“Tall.”

Silence seemed to linger through the gym only briefly, the bustle of students making their way through the yards towards the front gates. It was the end of the day, after all. Noya's eyes wandered over his friends faces, an anger boiling in his chest. It was one thing to joke about him never getting a girlfriend, but to insult her height – tall or short, that had no impact on their lives and therefore, was not something to be so childishly shocked about. Why was it such a big deal? Sure, tall girls were rare in Japan, but it wasn't that alien.

Was 6'3'' really that tall?

Suddenly, the doors to the gym opened and everyone's eyes shot to the culprit...before they slid up. There stood you, well, more specifically your head jutted nervously out of the door though no body showed. The head was higher than they had expected, though Noya was already bounding towards you, his mouth shot up into a large grin and hands outstretched towards you.

Upon seeing your small, sweet loved one, you stepped further into the gym and brought yourself down with your hands on your knees. Noya was the cutest. He was always there with a shot by your side with that adorable smile of his, eyes large and brimming with adoration. He saw nothing but beauty in his eyes for you – your [H/C], your deep [E/C] irises and your...well, your everything!

You bent your knees slightly to stoop to his level, a soft smile on your face as you awaited his affection. “[F/N!]” Noya sang, gripping your hands before your lips caught one another with a sweet kiss.

Your heart warmed and your nervousness dissipated for the shortest time as you accepted the softness, realizing just how much Noya's presence calmed you. It's not like you were an anxious person by any means, in fact, you were quite the outgoing woman. But meeting new people when you knew exactly how odd a tall female was to people was a little...scary, to say the least. But something about Noya surprised you. You never saw yourself as too tall or too much for him, you always felt like every single thing about you was perfect to him, was a normality that shouldn't be pointed out.

Weird to feel that about a tiny, hot-headed dork with a serious temper, really.

“What are you doing here?” Noya asked, pulling from the embrace though his grin showed no sign of leaving his face. You offered a smile at your smaller significant other.

“We were let out of school early, so I decided to come and surprise you.” You paused, head lifting to watch the boys who still seemed stunned by you. “Ah – it seems I've surprised them a lot more.”

“...Oh!” Noya turned his head to his teammates, taking your hand to jog you over to them. You easily kept up the pace, though you could feel a sinking in your chest from some of the gazes. Some seemed genuinely fascinated while others seemed a little scared. “[F/N]! These are my friends and teammates. Teammates, this is [F/N], my girlfriend!”

Daichi – always the level-headed leader – snapped himself from his shock and stepped forwards, offering a hand of greeting and a kind smile. “Hi there, [F/N],it's nice to meet you. I'm Daichi, the captain! We didn't know Noya-san had a girlfriend.”

“Oh, well, Noya told me that he only just returned to your team, right?” You tilted your head with a chuckle. “He didn't really get chance to tell you before. We've been too busy together to tell many people.”

You felt your hand being squeezed, gaze turning to the short male who returned a dorky guffaw of a smile. How cute.

A strangled whimper left the skinhead near the end of the group as all eyes turned to him, his own streaming with tears only seconds later as a scream of agony filled the gym. “Noya, how could you keep this beautiful creature a secret?! From me of all people?!”

Noya's face dropped as his own tears formed, sniffling. “I'm sorry, Tanaka! I-I was just so enraptured in her beauty! Forgive me...”

An awkward laugh left your lips as you decided to wave to the other team members, soon brushing some hair behind your ear. “Hi there, everybody.”

An orange-haired fireball around the same height as Noya bounded forwards, arms outstretched and lips in a perfect 'O' shape. “Woooah! You're so big!”

“Baka.” A swift slap to his skull was sent by a raven-haired boy, his eyes narrowed and face stern. It made your blood run cold just a little as his eyes turned up to you. “Sorry about him. He's too excited. My name's Kageyama, his is Hinata.”

“Yeah! It's nice to meet you, [F/N]!” Hinata grinned, eyes squinted as he rubbed his head.

After meeting the other members individually, including a sweating bearded sweetie and a rather stern-faced blond – who honestly, seemed much more annoyed by your height compared to the fascination his peers felt, though you had been warned by your boyfriend beforehand that this guy was a jerk – you turned back to Noya. Admittedly, you had hoped to possibly do something with him that afternoon. Well aware of his practises, you had kept that he might have been able to see you in mind, but a simple walk to the school was no hardship for you.

“I was wondering...” you began, playing with your hair as you clacked your shoes together. “If you had time to hang out with me?”

Noya's eyes seemed to widen as they shifted to his team mates, then back to you. Damn. This was a predicament. Practise had only just begun, not even Ukai or Takeda had appeared yet, yet here you were, the love of his life, wanting to spend time with him when they were in desperate need of training. Not that it was a problem for him, not at all – he'd give up anything for you, but...this was important too.

Noya bit his lip and you smiled softly, shaking your head. “Oh, that's alright. I know how busy you are --”

“It's okay.”

Both you and Noya turned, Daichi's voice cutting through the romantic tension that seemed to mist. “Huh?”

“It's alright if Noya-san wants to take a session off.” Cue a smile. “I'm sure we can fill his place.”

Your eyes lit up like this man was your saviour. “Oh, thank you, thank you so much.” He hunched down, taking his hands and vigorously shaking them with overflowing gratitude. Daichi shook under the pressure, grinning awkwardly. “I promise to bring Noya back in one piece.”

Noya stepped forwards, shifting his head up and patting his own chest. “I owe you one, captain.”

“Yeah, you do. Now, get off the court, we have to practice."

* * *

 

Your palms were sweating as your nerves overcame you, no matter how much you tried to keep yourself calm. It was funny, really. To be enveloped in someone that was most certainly different to you, not mentioning your height, you had still not processed that someone as adorable as Noya had actually wanted to be with you. It had been a good two months at this point and disregarding the first awkward week you two had had, the remainder had felt like a good year.

But...really, what issue was that? You were happy, Noya was happy – certainly shown in the way he was practically skipping alongside you with his hand grasped in yours – and that was what mattered. But really, lately you had been a little anxious to really move on with anything with him. You wanted to make sure he was truly okay with this.

Noya was known for keeping back certain feelings, some more than others, especially since many of those feelings are just screamed out immediately after he had thought of them. Noya found it pretty difficult keeping certain feelings back, but when there were things you would rather him come forth with, he usually kept them back. Damn.

“Noya?” You paused in your footsteps, causing him to halt as your hand tugged him back.

He blinked, tilting his head. “What is it, [F/N]?”

You took a deep breath, removing your hand from his to wipe it on your skirt. “You are happy with me, aren't you? Happy with...how I am?”

His body turned fully to you at that point and his eyes seemed to burn with a brimming passion which made your knees wobble. He stepped forwards, bringing his hands back to up to take yours yet again, brushing his thumbs over your knuckles. “Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?”

“I just don't...” You sighed, looking away with a forced blink to stop your eyes stinging. “I want you to be able to walk with me and not be stared at like some sort of freak.”

“Freak? How?” His face seemed to have drained of all light-heartedness, brows furrowed. “Because I'm walking with my girlfriend who is just a bit taller than me?”

A bit, talk about an understatement. However, you couldn't help but smile. Noya really did feel this way about you, didn't he? So determined to make people know that there was absolutely nothing off about their height difference. Which he was right to believe. It was not an issue, but the world nowadays was a mean place, anything or anyone remotely different to the norm was usually cast out and made out to be something wrong.

You didn't want Noya to be cast out because of you. You didn't want to be wrong for him.

“I guess I just don't want people taking advantage of you and making fun, that's all.”

Noya's lips turned up into a smirk at this and he pressed his thumb into his own chest, winking. “Do ya really think I'm going to let some losers who are jealous of my girl get in the way of us?! No way!”

...Tch. What a cutie. You bent down, cupping his face in your palms and squeezing it, earning an odd sort of...squeak from him. “You are the sweetest little bean.”

“Bean?! What...”

You pecked his lips with a soft kiss, leaning back up. However, he managed to grasp your collar, tugging you back down as he insinuated yet another kiss, his body balancing on his toes as he tried to get as high as he could into it. Your lips turned into a tight smile against his mouth, hands resting on his shoulders.

How adorable. The guy on his tiptoes. A rare sight but certainly welcomed.

Once he pulled back, you tried to keep the excited smile off your lips while Noya certainly didn't try hiding it. He looked so dorkish with his face red and his mouth turned up in a large grin.

“So!” Noya began, taking your hand in his as your footsteps continued on the pavement. “Where did you want to go, [F/N]?”

“Anywhere with you.”

“Anywhere? Well, I'm kinda hungry. Did you want to stop for some pancakes?”

You nodded with a smile. Silence fell as your feet tapped the concrete, your fingers tightening in Noya's own. There was something oddly satisfying to you about not having to be the one who has to get on their tiptoes.

 


	6. Learning the Language [Bokuto Koutarou]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while! Lots of personal stuff going on, plus Bones had its season finale last month and I'm still crying that its over. 
> 
> A chapter for one of my favourite owls! And thank you for all the interest in this series, it means a heck of a lot! THIS IS MORE PLATONIC THAN MY OTHER CHAPTERS I GUESS??? Like you don't kiss him or anything in this. My bad, but I guess it's implied you like each other??
> 
> Also, the reader here has moved from their home country to Japan, so I am trying my best to use Japanese school years and term dates accurately. My apologies if I slip up!
> 
> Reader's gender is unspecified.
> 
> [N/C] means your native country.

 

Being the new kid was hard. Even worse when you are not native to that region.

As overused as the 'new student experience' clique is, it's pretty damn accurate. It's daunting. Being torn from everything you love and are used to and being thrust into this new place with new people, new places, new etiquette; new everything. Then you, this new person arrives for only 200 days yet still expect to be treated like you began there on day one as pre-pubescent sprouts like they did.

You knew the tongue these people spoke. After all, who moves to a country where they cannot even slightly grasp the language? This was for your father's benefit more than anyone else's in the family due to the fantastic business opportunity he had gained in his career, however, it involved being in another country, and when the pros and cons were weighed, it seemed only sensible to move to Japan. More money, better schedule, happier life.

But _Christ_ , was this scary. it's like students can sense when you are not from around there. They were glancing at you, whispering to their friends whose heads snapped back at this unknown person, your face flaring with warmth that blended with a cold sweat as you tried to blank them out.

Calm down, [Name], just calm _down_. Find the entrance and go from there.

Your eyes scanned the various kanji that littered signs and building faces, running what you had learnt for the past year of prep before it landed on 'reception' and a smile crept over your lips. There, that wasn't so bad, was it? The inside of the building was pristine. Potted plants and succulents taking up otherwise empty corners, blinding white walls with dozens of framed pictures neatly lining one side above the waiting chairs.

You took a closer look at the said pictures, seeing that they were team photos. Basketball, netball, rugby, football, volleyball and even science groups. Your eyes settled on a particular frame involving the volleyball team, noting every face and landing on a particular one. A large grin was plastered over the face of a boy, possibly the captain due to his placement, whose hair stuck up in a crazy sweep. Two-toned, too, with deep yellow eyes. What a crazy look. He looked like some sort of...scops owl.

He had pretty impressive muscles from what you could see from his crossed arms...

A voice shook you from your analysis of the boy as you turned to the smiling receptionist, a sheepish smile dawning your features as you took up a spot in front of her. “Uh, hello there,” you strung together in your book-learnt Japanese. “I'm a new student but I don't know where to go. Could you help me find my form room, please?”

“Of course!” she chirped, well-kept nails tapping at her keyboard. “Can I have your name?”

“[Name] [Surname]...” You blinked, face warming at your fumble. “Oh – I mean, [Surname] [Name.] I'm sorry, I moved here from [N/C] a short while ago, I'm still learning Japanese...”

Her smile returned though her eyes never left the monitor. “You're doing very well, dear. Ah – here we go. Class one. It's in the block with the slanted roof. Oh, and here is a copy of your timetable!”

“Thank you.” You gave a brief bow, taking the paper and slipping out the doors, head snapping up to the huge structures to find said roof. Come on, come on...how can one school have so many different looking buildings?! You rotated in a slow circle, palm shielding your eyes from the sun but finding said roof did not happen.

As you found yourself being propelled backwards with a blunt force.

A figure collided into your body with an 'oof!', landing flat on your backside as you tried to shake the stars from your eyes. The perp remained stood as they pushed their hair back up into its shocked style, eyes widening as they gasped, hurrying forwards. “Oh jeez, I'm sorry!”

“Ah, that's alright...” You took the hand extended to you as they hoisted you up with ease. You opened your eyes to adjust, head lifting to meet with their gaze before you blinked the blurs away. Oh...was that...? “I've seen you before.”  
  
“Is that so?” the person's head tilted with a large grin. Large grin...

“Ah, yes! I just saw you on the picture in the reception,” you exclaimed, though lowered your voice as a few eyes turned to you. “Um – do you play volleyball for this school?”

The perp – now labelled the volleyball boy – felt his grin widen as he jabbed his thumb into his own chest, nodding “Hey hey hey! That's me! The names Bokuto Koutarou. Nice to bump into you...?”  
  
You stared at him vacantly for a few moments before you realized he was waiting for a name. “My name is [Surname] [Name]. Is your surname Koutarou, then?”  
  
“Huh? No, that's my forename,” he chided, blinking his large eyes before he let out a chortle. “Man, what kanji have you been learning? Did you forget how to write names? Surname first!”  
  
“Oh, I...” You played with your fingers, growing nervous under his intense gaze, let alone his tall stature. “Well, I'm not from Japan. I come from [N/C], you see. I moved here with my family because my dad got a new...I'm sorry, this is probably boring.”  
  
Bokuto tapped his chin, leaning in close enough so you could feel his warmth, causing your body to bend back like some soft of odd dance. His eyes narrowed, lips pursed before he snapped his fingers. “I knew it! You don't look or sound like you're from around here. I can tell from your robotic Japanese.”  
  
“Ah, yeah...I'm taking time replying to you so I can figure out how to respond in my head, so I don't sound like a fool.”

He was cute. Unaware of his boundaries it seemed but...cute. He certainly didn't seem like the type to purposely offend.

“What class are you in?” His voice cut your daydream.  
  
“Yeah, uh...” You flicked through the printed off timetable that the receptionist prepared for you. “Class one I was told. Actually, would it be a bother for you to hel --”  
  
“That's my class!” Bokuto's face lit up, grasping your hand with absolutely no thought for your boundaries as he tugged you along. “I'll introduce you, don't worry! You can even sit by me, if you want!”  
  
“That's really kind of you, Bokuto, t-thank you --” You had to gather your feet to not trip up, feeling eyes on you – though they seemed much more envious at this point compared to their confused gazes. Seemed everyone wanted a piece of this volleyball player, huh?  
  
“ _Who is that?”_  
  
“Bokuto-san is holding their _hand? I don't even know who that is. Hmph.”_  
  
He kept up his jog, back smacking into his side though it didn't seem to phase him as he turned his head to you, offering a smile. Your felt your heart beating faster than usual (although, running that early in the morning probably had something to do with that) when you saw his action, shaking your head slightly as you concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. You had just met this boy and already he was giving you butterflies? Perhaps it was relief of having someone to talk to on the first day.

Or so you told yourself.

“Here we are,” Bokuto exclaimed, shoving the door to class 3-1 open. Passing the frame you noticed once again, dozens of eyes on you, though this time it was directed at your hand. Glancing down did you note how Bokuto still had a tight hold of it and it didn't seem like he wanted to let go. You could feel your palm growing clammy as the nerves festered once again. Why did peers always love staring you down? Did they gain anything from it?

Giving a final tug, Bokuto turned with a chipper grin, offering you the spare seat next to his and you took it with a nod, clearing your throat gently as he plopped down next to you. You had to admit you were a little disappointed that you did not have the window seat, but from Bokuto's position of his back to the wall and arm on the back of his chair, he certainly had marked his place.  
  
“Uh, Koutarou, I was wondering,” you began, pausing as you brought your hands together on the desk. “When you said my Japanese was robotic, what did you mean?”  
  
“You know, like someone who learnt it from just books alone. Like, someone who didn't grow up with it,” he grumbled around the end of his pencil that he had already began chewing, giving a nod and a glance of the eyes to a passing student. He'd only just sat down and it felt like Bokuto just fit in perfectly. Would it be that easy for you?  
  
“Well, I did learn it from books, but I also learnt it online and in paid lessons,” you replied, itching your nape as you tried to ignore the constant stares. “My dad's new job here pays well so we all moved here. So it probably sounds less fluid than your Japanese.”  
  
“Mmm.”

You caught his eye when the bluntness of his response surprised you, only to see his deep yellow eyes boring into your own, though they didn't seem threatening – well, his whole persona didn't seem threatening, to be honest. You felt yourself getting hot under the collar. Eyelids hooded, irises flickering here and there like an observing bird stalking its next mouse. He looked positively...hot. “What is it...?” you mumbled.

Bokuto took the pencil from his mouth, pointing the nib at you between thumb and forefinger. “You're cute, y'know that? You have really nice [H/C] hair and like...really nice eyes.”  
  
“!!!” You hurriedly tugged your bag into your lap, trembling fingers tugging at the zips as you pulled out your items for your introduction into the class, burning a hole into the bottom of it with your cheeks burning. “So, um, what do you play on the volleyball team?” you hurriedly spat out, dropping your bag.  
  
The question about the sport seemed to navigate his attention, thank goodness, his goofy smile returning. “I'm the ace. Oh, and wing spiker – and captain.”  
  
That was a lot of information at once. “Wait – what does that mean, exactly?” you countered.  
  
“Er...I'm the captain, ace and wing spiker,” he repeated, scratching at his cheek before the smile morphed into a confused grin. Bless him.  
  
You decided not to take that question further, shaking your head with a soft chuckle. “Um...when do you play? Could I maybe come and watch? I mean, you are really nice and I was wondering if the rest of the...team is...”  
  
You trailed off. That sounded utterly pathetic, didn't it? Like a lonely child asking to be someone's friend. Bokuto clearly had a reputation here and was well liked, acting this way towards him was like asking to be laughed at.

“Obviously! You're my youngling now, [Name], you're gonna meet the team for sure!”  
  
Or not.  
  
Your head snapped back to him, giving a soft gasp as your eyes widened. “R-really? They won't hate me...? They all looked pretty serious on the picture!”  
  
“It was a team picture, we had to look serious. I mean, I failed, but...”  
  
A laugh left your lips, eyes scrunching as you covered your mouth. Bokuto gulped. God, you were adorable. The way your hair bounced as your shoulders shook lightly, fingers curled slightly to hide your mouth. Cute...  
  
After calming and finding your composure, you smiled down at your hands that rested in your lap. “Thank you, Bokuto.”  
  
He shook his head to snap from his daydream, clearing his throat. “F-for what, [Name]?”  
  
“For helping me on my first day and being so friendly. I was so nervous here, I was so scared my Japanese wouldn't be understandable but you know what I'm saying...and being nice to me.” Genuinely, the gratitude you felt towards the ace for being there for you that morning had not gone unappreciated. Nor had his good looks.  
  
Bokuto's regular dorky grin was soft, approachable, but it was not weird to see. He just looked...sweet. “You're welcome, [Name].”  
  
You returned the smile, keeping the eye contact. This certainly wouldn't be as bad as you thought.

 

* * *

  
Nerves began to stir in your gut as you approached the doors with your new friend, wringing your hands to try and calm yourself. At first the idea of meeting Bokuto's teammates and friends was exciting, but after receiving Bokuto's number and talking with him that night, it gave you time to think, and now it just felt scary again.  
  
But Bokuto was clearly a good person, friends are more common to have the same interests and views on things, so they had to be nice too, right? If not nice, then at least accepting. And if they're capable of working on a volleyball team, they have to be connected much deeper than a simple mutual interest.

As the boy pressed his hand to the ajar door, you paused him. “Hey, Bokuto --” You gently brought your hand to his forearm, teeth chewing into your lower lip. “I'm a little nervous now.”  
  
“Hey hey hey, come on now, [Name]! I told you my guys will like you! I can't wait to show you to Akaashi, you two are so alike.”  
  
“Is that a good thing?” you teased, earning a snort of laughter from your new friend and resulting in your face warming slightly. To make him laugh felt so rewarding.  
  
Bokuto held the gym doors open for you as you entered, eyes flickering over every detail as you kept your composure and moved deeper into the open space. All eyes turned to you as Bokuto spoke up and you gulped, feeling the heat of their stares. So tall, so intimidating, so...  
  
Normal.  
  
“Guys! This is [Name], the new kid I told you all about last night.” Bokuto slapped your shoulder with a prideful grin, much like a parent introducing their child to a social gathering. It felt that way, too.  
  
You offered a small smile and a meek wave. “Hi there. It's nice to meet you.”  
  
One boy stepped towards the pair of you, giving a nod, damp raven hair hardly moving on his head from the sweat of practice. “So you're the one who was unfortunate enough to have Bokuto as your point of call here.”  
  
A strange sound left Bokuto's throat and you couldn't help but let out a laugh, rubbing your forearm as the anxiety slowly ebbed away. “Heh, yes. I was nervous that my speaking would be hard to understand because I'm not from this country.”

“I'm Akaashi.” He held his hand out and you took it graciously.  
  
“[Surname] [Name].”  
  
Bokuto stood with his hands on his hips as you got acquainted with the other team members, Akaashi sliding up to his side though his eyes remained on you. “They're pretty cute, aren't they? Much cuter than you said.”  
  
The silver haired male grinned, rubbing his nose with his finger. “Yeah, they are. But you ain't havin' them, Akaashi. They're mine.”  
  
“Second day here and you are already branding their backside. Typical Bokuto.” Cue another guttural sound of taken offence from Koutarou's mouth. Akaashi's lip twitched. “I am only going by my observation. I have no interest in dating them. They're all yours, I'll stick with being a companion.”  
  
The two of them watched as you were drowned by the other players who began to ask question after question. Where you were living, where you came from, if you could speak your native tongue to them. You had to step back as you attempted to answer as best you could. Hearing all of the muddled Japanese was difficult for you to translate fast. “G-give me a second!” you squeaked.  
  
However, it felt nice. Being ripped from your comfort into a world of total unknown was terrifying, but it seemed that Fukurōdani wouldn't be as scary as you had anticipated. And now you had a dozen friends to keep you safe.  
  
You felt Bokuto bring his arm around your shoulder and you shot him a glance, seeing his grin shine down at you. Your heart fluttered, pressing a little closer in your relaxation with the boy, all the while entering the throng of conversation you and the team were engaged in.

Two days in. It felt like the start of something fun with this guy beside you.  
  


 

 

 


End file.
